Hotel option could be pursued for Poole Civic Centre site

BCP Council leader Cllr Drew Mellor said the project for the ‘vertical slice’ for the civic part of the building still remained in place and denied that it had been shelved.

Mayor of Poole Cllr Tony Trent questioned what was happening with the plan, which would retain the council chamber, Cattistock Room, the mayor’s parlour, secure storage and a small function room as well as rooms to support the coroner’s functions.

Councillors were told BCP Future Places, the council-owned urban regeneration company, was in the midst of feasibility work over a hotel.

Speaking at full council on July 12, Cllr Mellor said: “The council decision to retain a vertical slice of Poole Civic Centre that encompasses the principal listed and heritage elements for the purposes of accommodating the coroner and the mayoralty functions remains in place.

“The project has not been shelved and the budget remains as an approved element within the council’s capital programme.

Cllr Drew Mellor (Image: BCP Council)

“Not withstanding this, since the decision was made to retain this vertical slice an opportunity to consider a hotel option for the wider civic site has come forward.

“The council’s Future Places team have been exploring the potential for this option through further investigations including soft-market testing.

“If that work does support a case for changing the extant decision, the appropriate processes will then be followed.

“It is currently anticipated that cabinet will receive a further update on this matter in the autumn.

“In the meantime, the project is simply on hold while the feasibility work is concluded.”

Cllr Trent, a Liberal Democrat member, also asked what assurances could be given to ensure the building was secure.

Cllr Tony Trent

The council leader said that appropriate measures were in place to maintain the building’s security while its future was determined.

The transition of council officers to the local authority’s headquarters at Bournemouth Town Hall was completed at the end of May.

A seven-figure sum has been budgeted for the work to retain the vertical slice of the Poole Civic Centre, however, final costs have not yet been confirmed.

Cllr Mellor told the Daily Echo if the hotel option is pursued, the vertical slice will stay. He said Future Places had been told to only explore a hotel option if the chamber and mayor's parlour can be incorporated.